Electrical time-switches are commonly mounted in two ways: surface-mounting, in which the back of the time-switch is secured to the mounting surface, so that the switch protrudes therefrom; and panel-mounting in which the housing of the time-switch is secured to a panel so that only the front face of the switch is visible from the front of the panel.
In known time-switches, the backplate of the switch housing and the electrical terminals for receiving leads to be coupled to the switch are arranged primarily for one or other mounting method, thereby making it more difficult to mount the switch by the alternative method. Thus, the terminals may be on the external face of the backplate, for example, facilitating connection in the case of panel-mounting but making surface-mounting more complicated.